These Hair Products Are Doing More Harm Than Good

One of the worst moments for us is when we step into the salon and our stylist tells us they need to take off more length than we'd prefer because there's "too much damage." Sigh. Our faithful flat irons and curling irons can betray us so quickly. So to trick our hair (and our stylist) into thinking our strands are super healthy, we often reach for the split-end remedies like the flashy oils and creams that promise they'll bind our split ends back together in no time. The only problem is that a recent article from StyleCaster confirmed our worst fears: Our split-end products have actually been making things worse.

“What [these products] will actually do is wrap each strand of hair with wax and seal the ends to give that healthy look,” celebrity hairstylist Kacey Welch tells SheFinds. “In reality, the damage is done and cannot be reversed.” Sounds awful, right? What happens is that the silicones and waxes coat the hair, creating a barrier against any nutrients or nourishments coming in. Additionally, using too much of these products can be too heavy on the ends, causing them to break off entirely. It's a lose-lose-lose.

The best way to ameliorate this problem is simply to take better care of your hair. If you're a faithful heat-tool user, give your hair a break a few days a week with some heat-free hairstyles, and give the tight ponytails and messy buns (the kind where you wrap a hair tie around your hair over and over) a pass.